Letters to the Editor May 2019

Save the Bus Stops on SE

Division

Regarding the so-called Bus Rapid Transit plan (BRT), an $80 million federal grant is good news for Tri-Met and Outer Division bus riders as it will indeed improve transit efficiency on the four-lane portion of SE Division east of SE 82nd Avenue.

The bad idea is the poor thinking and unworkable planning intended for the two-lane stretch west from SE 82nd all the way to SE 10th, in which Tri-Met proposes to eliminate many well-patronized bus stops and inconvenience daily riders as it careens sixty-foot articulated buses along a narrow two-lane street.

A good example is the proposed elimination of the stop at SE 32nd and Division, right in the middle of a concentration of new apartment buildings.

Portland’s City Council flogged this type of development, with no off-street parking, because it was on a bus line. Now Tri-Met is going to take away the bus stops?

Is anyone paying attention? You can’t make this stuff up.

Let’s not forget that operating this BRT on SE Division west of SE 82nd was a second choice to operating BRT on SE Powell. Tri-Met and Metro, chasing a Federal grant,  had to scramble after their SE Powell plan blew up and now riders along inner SE Division, including physically-challenged and elderly riders, have to pay the price with reduced service and inconvenience.

If City Council members were elected by district, inner SE Division riders would have advocates to demand no elimination of stops. Now they just have bureaucrats to deal with; much like having a conversation with a school of great white sharks.

Do citizens have to go to court to keep these stops? Eliminating them will barely save a couple of minutes.

The City That Used To Work continues to be clueless with its outdated and uncoordinated form of government and profound lack of strong leadership. Vera Katz was Portland’s last good Mayor.

Inner Southeast residents should contact Metro, Tri-Met and the City Council to preserve all stops along SE Division west of SE 82nd.

Frank DiMarco

Letters to the Editor May 2019

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